Thursday, 22 March 2012

'...the Yoga Korunta, which was written on palm leaves'

'The method of Yoga taught at KPJAYI is that which has been told by the ancient Sage Vamana in his text called “Yoga Korunta.” Although many books on Yoga have been written, Vamana is the only one who has delineated a complete practical method. In the 1920’s, the Yogi and Sanskrit Scholar, T. Krishnamacharya traveled to Calcutta where he transcribed and recorded the Yoga Korunta, which was written on palm leaves and was in a bad state of decay, having been partially eaten by ants. Later, Krishnamacharya passed on these teachings to the late Pattabhi Jois, whose school continues to teach this method today'.http://kpjayi.org/the-practice/traditional-method

I've often wondered what a palm leaf manuscript looked like, well here they are

The last three images above are from a documentary a friend on FB linked to, the scene above comes up about a minute in.

I'm as sceptical as the next guy about the Yoga Korunta and had pretty much decided it was a myth, a real myth not a well presented argument (whether you agree with it or not) dismissed as a myth.

However, though there is no mention of it in Krishnamacharya's Yoga Makarnada, I noticed this in the book credits in the first Introduction of Krishnamacharya's Yogasanagalu

Introduction

I did not attempt a detailed review of all ancient yoga treatises since it will make this book very long and perhaps cause boredom to the readers. Please forgive. This writing is mainly based on the following texts:

PatanjalayogasutraHathayogapradipikaRajayogaratnakaraYogakurantiUpanishads related to yogaLearning’s from my Guru and self-experience

A Reminder

from Kalama sutra, translation from the Pali by Bhikkhu Bodhi This blog included.

"So, as I said, Kalamas: 'Don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, "This contemplative is our teacher." When you know for yourselves that, "These qualities are unskillful; these qualities are blameworthy; these qualities are criticized by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to harm & to suffering" — then you should abandon them.' Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.

"Now, Kalamas, don't go by reports, by legends, by traditions, by scripture, by logical conjecture, by inference, by analogies, by agreement through pondering views, by probability, or by the thought, 'This contemplative is our teacher.' When you know for yourselves that, 'These qualities are skillful; these qualities are blameless; these qualities are praised by the wise; these qualities, when adopted & carried out, lead to welfare & to happiness' — then you should enter & remain in them. Buddha - Kalama Sutta